Finally noticed Edge Enhancement (1 Viewer)

[Matt Pelham]

and I wasn't even looking for it. I was watching my T2:Ultimate Edition disc tonight, and I finally understand why people complain about EE all the time. I used to think I saw it regularly, but it turns out that was just color bleeding probably due to my crappy set up (with cheap composite video cables).

Now I have no doubt. Especially bad were the scenes in the hospital, in which most scenes have a light/white background. All dark edges (peoples' hair, suits, faces, etc) had a smooth while "zone" around them, that could be seen even more clearly when zoomed. Keep in mind this was noticeable on my 19-inch TV from 10 feet away, I can't even imagine what this looks like on a big setup.

Here is a quote from DVDfile's review. "TERMINATOR 2 is presented in anamorphic widescreen and looks sensational.....So there is nothing much more I can say here, this transfer is just about perfect." They don't even mention the terrible edge enhancement.

Is this disc known for being a bad offender or am I just losing it?

 

[Bjoern Roy]

Matt,

T2 is a rather bad offender, i even use it in my EE guide. Not that there aren't even worse titles out there...

On the type of setup you are using, there shouldn't be more than 5 or 10 titles that should bother you EE-wise, if it took T2 for you to first notice it. So enjoy your DVDs and don't 'look' for it.

Regards
Bjoern

 

[Matt Pelham]

Thanks. Yeah, if you look for edge enhancement you are much more likely to find it! Right after T2 I started watching the Godfather, and started noticing it there too! The best thing to do is just try and get caught up in the movie, then you won't even have time to look for it.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

But one thing we can all do is contact the stuido that produced the "offending" DVD and tell them about it. I've already written Criterion about the EE in Tenenbaums (sp).

The studios won't stop until we tell them....and keep on telling them.

-dave

 

[Andy_MT]

the reviewer, Peter M. Bracke, was the same one who applauded cast away the same way. no offense intended, but he doesn't seem to be able to assess PQ at all. that's two counts he's praised sub-standard transfers. it's very frustrating because there are some people who base their purchases on these reviewers, only to be mis-informed. i tend not to take any notice of his reviews now (re: PQ). sorry, but owner of site or not, he should be more accurate than this.

 

[nousername]

Re: DVD reviews in general:

That's why I come here for DVD reviews. The people here seem to have a far more discerning eye than some of the professional reviewers out there...

 

[Jack Briggs]

Many mainstream reviewers eschew even mentioning picture quality--and they probably have substandard equipment too.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

even thebigpicture.com has shocked me with the transfers they praise that then you get home and wonder what truck ran over the VHS they used to master the DVD (The Shirly Temple discs)

Oh...and dvdfile also saw "no EE" on Heidi...probably the year's WORST EE offender (some of the ringing was so bad it looked like a double exposure). Not to mention all the aliasing in the picture...faults that the reviewer referred to as "problems with the film elements...not the transfer"....buuuhhaahhaahah.

-dave

 

[Andy_MT]

the inexcusable thing of it is, you don't even need expensive high-end equipment to be able to assess PQ. even a moderately capable PC/MAC with a brand DVD software player is more than capable. which can run you well under $1k. in fact, using a HTPC is probably better than a standard NTSC monitor.

i personally have no time for thebigpicture.com. they just don't have a clue. period. funny thing is, they sound like they do. that's the common misconception. a lot of these reviewers sound like they know what they're talking about.

 

[Jay Sylvester]

I didn't notice edge enhancement much when I was using my 32" Wega. If I looked for it I could see it, but not enough to bother me.

Now I have a projector, and EE slaps you in the face when you're watching it on a 92" screen. I was watching Phantom Menace for the first time on my projector the other night, and what I had previously thought was a decent transfer became a horrible lesson in the evils of EE.